


Race of the Century

by Zetal (Rodinia)



Series: SPN AU Bingo [35]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Crossdressing Character, M/M, Mild offscreen violence, urban fantasy au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-17
Updated: 2019-02-17
Packaged: 2019-10-30 01:28:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,417
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17819234
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rodinia/pseuds/Zetal
Summary: Dean vs. Michael.  Human vs. Elf.  Best vs. Best.  That was what the race was supposed to be.Then Dean got poisoned and Michael got kidnapped.  Sam and Raphael step up so the race can go on.





	Race of the Century

**Author's Note:**

  * For [LadyShadowphyre](https://archiveofourown.org/users/LadyShadowphyre/gifts).



> Prompt: Urban Fantasy AU + Crossdressing AU + Celebrity AU from Ladyshadowphyre (enjoy the little Easter egg!).  
> Vaguely inspired by SERRAted Edge, but written by someone whose familiarity with that series is a two-minute Google search.
> 
> Written for SPN AU Bingo  
> Square: Secret Admirer

It has been billed as the showdown of the millennium: the best elven racer against the best human racer, winner getting bragging rights for his entire species. Michael versus Dean Winchester, for the right to call themselves the greatest of all time.

Then stupidity happened. Three days before the race, Dean went out on a date and found himself poisoned. He refused to believe that Layla had been the one to poison him, but neither Sam nor Bobby trusted her. For one thing, Bobby had run a background check on Layla, and nothing about her checked out. No records existed of a brain cancer patient in Nebraska named Layla Rourke, survivor or otherwise. For another thing, she disappeared immediately after the date. When Sam went looking for her the next day to see if she’d been poisoned as well, she had disappeared. Her apartment was empty, her phone was disconnected, everything.

Meanwhile, on the elves’ side, Michael turned up missing. Michael’s younger brother Raphael investigated, and then he called Sam. “Michael won’t be able to make the race. What do we do? Chuck and Amara will kill us all if we call it off.”

“No kidding.” Sam looked over at Dean, trying to think. Maybe he could buy some time? “Dean got poisoned. What happened to Michael?”

“Lucifer tricked him into a cage of cold iron. It’s time-locked and won’t open until conditions are met, whatever those are. Elves can’t rescue them because of the cold iron, and humans can’t get there because of magical wards.” Well, fuck. That was pretty much a race-killer, all right. Even if Sam and Bobby could somehow patch Dean up, if Michael was trapped… but then Raphael continued. “Any chance Dean can still race? I can drive Michael’s car. It won’t be the matchup promised, but it’ll be a race.”

“It’s possible, but not likely. But…” Sam swallowed hard, but forced himself to say it. “I can drive for Dean. It’s not ideal, but it’s better than cancelling or sending Dean out there when he’s not supposed to be standing up, let alone trying something as complicated as racing. I’ve raced for him before.”

 

Chuck and Amara weren’t happy with the situation, but they had no better solution, so the race went ahead as planned. There had been no way to keep the replacements secret, not in the Internet age, so Sam found himself in a very uncomfortable limelight for the next three days. For the most part it was fine, just forcing himself to talk to reporters without his brother to hide behind, but there was one part of it that had Sam terrified. Bobby got flowers for Sam twice a day, wishing him well in the race. They were signed Galena, with no last name.

The day of the race, Sam had to wake up early. Dean was enough better to join Sam for the pre-race rituals, getting the car ready while Sam got dressed. “You sure about this, Sammy? I feel better, I think I can…”

Sam glared at Dean and tossed a beer his way. Dean missed. “Yeah. You think you can, but right now, I’m the better choice. I got this, just have faith in me.”

“You know it.” Dean picked up the beer and cracked it open, draining it in one gulp. “Kick his ass, you hear me?”

 

At the racetrack, Sam met up with Raphael. “Is this where I’m supposed to do some braggadocio trash talk?”

“Or we could just shake hands and wish each other well. It’s not like we’re miked up so they can hear us.” Raphael held out a hand. “Fortune’s favor upon you.”

“Yeah, good luck.” Sam shook the hand and headed for his car. Dean’s car. Dean had her polished and gleaming black against the concrete track, its simplicity contrasting beautifully with the complex design of Michael’s car. It was white with flames on the hood, across the roof, and down the trunk, while the sides were painted to look like wings.

Sam got off to a fast start. He held on for as long as he could, but eventually, Raphael caught up to him. It was a good fight with several lead changes, but in the end, Sam was just able to cross the finish line ahead of Raphael. The head judge, a demon named Crowley, wore a big smile as he handed the trophy to Sam. “Big day for you humans. Congratulations.”

 

There was a victory party that night, decorated in human style with a riot of color and sparkle. Sam hated this part, because he hated wearing the suit. Unfortunately, with as big a deal as this race had been, the party was going to be a Big Deal and Sam couldn’t show up in jeans and flannel like he might have if Dean had raced instead. No one cared what the brother/pit crew boss wore.

At the start of the party, Sam was called up on stage for another presentation of the trophy and speech by Chuck and Amara. While he was up there, he looked around for Raphael. It had been a good race, and Sam wanted to make sure Raphael knew how much Sam appreciated the challenge and the chance to keep this race happening. He furrowed his brow as he looked around, not seeing Raphael anywhere. Surely Raphael wasn’t a sore enough loser to not show up to the party, right?

When Sam got back to his crew, he found Jo and Bobby talking to a woman Sam didn’t know. Something about her looked familiar, and when Sam looked closer, his mouth fell open. “Raphael?”

“Yes. That was a great race, Sam, and I hope your brother can appreciate what you did better than mine can. Right after the race, Michael called to tell me he’d gotten free just in time to get to a sports bar and watch. He immediately told me everything I’d done wrong.”

Sam wanted to respond, he did. But he was still stuck on the fact that Raphael was standing in front of him in a bright yellow floor-length gown, with turquoise high-heeled shoes, a matching pendant, and makeup that would make his friend Phichit drool with envy. He looked amazing, he just didn’t look like the person Sam had raced against that afternoon.

Raphael noticed his distraction and gave a wry smile. “I hate suits. There are no words. I would almost rather be put in cold iron chainmail than wear one of those things. For my senior prom, Michael took me to try on a tuxedo. It was even worse, and I refused to wear it. Michael told me my options were the tuxedo or buying a prom dress, and I called his bluff.” Raphael twirled, making his skirt flare out. “Michael regrets saying it now, I’m sure, since I’ve opted for gowns over suits every time since.”

“Michael’s taken to calling him Galena when he gets dressed up to try to shame him out of it,” the man with Raphael said.

“Wait, Galena?” Sam looked to Bobby for confirmation. “Are you the one who’s been sending me flowers?”

“Yes, I am.” Raphael smiled and looked down. “When you volunteered to drive for Dean so we could still have the race, I started looking into you. I wanted to know more about the human I was trying to beat. I admire your dedication to volunteer work with animals, and your work with children whose families can’t or won’t be there for them. You’re a healer, and I’d like to get to know you better.”

“You didn’t let me win, did you?” Sam asked, because it was easier to deal with than the idea that Raphael was interested in him.

Raphael shook his head, eyebrows drawing together. “I wouldn’t do that. As much as I admire you, I was racing for the pride of my entire species and for my family’s honor. I’m not upset about losing, but I did try to win.”

“Huh.” Sam just kept staring at Raphael.

Jo smacked Sam. “I think what Sam is trying to say but doesn’t seem to be able to spit out is that you look awesome, that dress suits your coloring perfectly, and he’d like to take you on a date sometime so you can get to know each other better.” She turned to Sam. “Isn’t that right?”

“Uh… yeah, sure, that’s what I meant,” Sam stammered out. “I’d like that. Raphael?”

“I’d like that too.”


End file.
